Advertising frame



March 21, 1933.

w. J. SIMANEK ADVERTISING FRAME Filed Feb. 24. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l NEXT WEEK BEAI I QEST DONALD TULEMAN W62 JJimai;

INVENTOR dz I ATTORNIY mus:

March 21, 1933. w. J. SIMANEK 1,901,990

ADVERTI'S 1m FRAME Filed Feb. 24. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITIm:

Patented Mar. 21, 1933 UNITED STA 'wnnznr. J. sIMAivnx, or Racine, Wisconsin ADVERTISING FRAME Application'filed February 24, 1931, Serial No. 517,966. i

My present invention has reference to a display frame for theatrical or other posters. An object of the invention is the provision of a display frame for posters or like adver tisements of a construction that will effectively sustain and stretch the poster therein without the employment of tacks or paste and without damage to the poster.

A further object is the provision of a frame in which the holdingmeans for the poster are in the nature of hinged strips, each provided with impinging elements to engage with the poster for holding the same in the frame when the strips are swung over the poster, the said strips, .when'swung to closed position,having abutting or interfittingends and edges to present not only a smooth outer surface but for holding all the strips in interlocking engagement, together with means for locking oneoof the strips in a manner that will not only hold the strips against'each other but which is applicable to swing the last mentioned strip to open position so that all ofthe strips may be thereafter separately swung to open position to permit withdrawal of the poster in an uninjured condition and the replacement of another poster. V i A further object of the invention is the n provision of a frame for this purpose so constructed as to insure against the warping of i the hinged strips that means for the poster.

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from a consideration of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the application, with the understanding, however, thatthe improvement is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing-of the drawings nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications maybe made therefrom as do not aifect the spirit of the invention 'nor ex ceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims. i i

r In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of-the improvide the holding proyement with a poster arranged therein.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail elevation of also apparent that the removal ofthe tacks stances the theatrical companieshave' posters one of the corners of theframe to illustrate a construction for preventing the warping'of the strips. "i

Figure is'an enlarged sectional Eview approximately on the line 3- -3 of Figure '1. V

Figure i is' a sectional viewiapproximately on the line 4-4 of Figure 5. g Figure 5 is a sectional view approximately on the line 5-5: of Figure 4. n

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 2 to illustrate the construction of the lower edges of the side strips and the manner in which the lower strip is swungtoopen position when the lockingdevice is brought to unlocking position.

Figure? is a detail perspective view .looking toward the inner face of one of the strips. The body '1 of the" frame is preferably of rectangularformation and the. same may be constructed of wood, metal, or any other desired material. The back of the frame is indicatedby the numeral 2and is, of course,secured to the inner faces of thestiles and rails that comprise the frame, proper. The body ofthe frame may be suitably-ornamented and '35 preferably bears thereon the name of the theater or other place in'which the show or performance suggested by the poster isbeing played; 1

Before proceeding with further details of my invention it may be well to state that theaters are given creditfor posters they return to poster exchanges, providing such 7 posters are not injured. Ordinarily the r posters are tacked in the frame. The tacking is not only a tedious job but the posters are I not sufiiciently stretched so that they are frequently injured by the wind and it will be is likewise' tedious. Very frequently the poster-is torn-from the tacks and the tacks thereafter indiscriminatelyreplaced' when another poster is placed in the frame. To

protect posters,the frames are frequently provided with a glass cover 'plate, but this does 5 not relieve the-tedious task of tacking the poster in the frame and the removal of such tacks in. order topreserve the poster'when it is removed from' theframe. In other inpasted in the frames or on billboards so that the advertising value of the posters is not lost, but such posters must be torn off the frames or bill-boards and lose their return value. Still again some concerns have resorted to a facing of wire mesh but this is mostly to save the expense of glass as both the poster and the mesh must be tacked inthe frame. In both the tacking and the pasting of posters care must be taken that the posters are sufliciently stretched, which frequen ly results in the tearing of the posters; It will be noted,

as the description progresses, that the posters are easily and quickly arranged inthe frame 1 in accordance with my invention without {injury to the postersand that the said posters arev automatically stretched a limited amount when positioned in the frame.

Tothe inner dges of the vertical stiles and upper andlower rails provided by the; frame 1 I hinge strips. The strips may be of wood or of metal. For distinction the upper strip is indicatedby the numeral-Band has itsLinner edge beveled. The side strips are indicated by the numerals 4 and likewise have their inner edges beveled andthe upper ends thereof are beveled corresponding to the :bev-

eled inner edge of strip 3 as indicated at 5 to contact with the beveled inner. edge of the strip 3 when the strip 3 is first swung to closed position and the strips 4; are thereafter swung within the frame also to closed position. The lower ends of each o f-the strips 4 are notched as indicated at 5 and this construction may advantageously be, and preferably is, utilized on the ends of the strip 3. The

lower strip is indicated by the numeral 6and preferably has its inner edges beveled. Both ends of this strip are beveled similar to the beveled inner edge of thefstrips 4 as indicated at 7 to contact with the beveled inner edges of the, strips 4. Thus it will be seen that when the strips are swung to closed positionwith- 1n the frame a smooth surface is afforded :be-

tween the strips and contacting end portions, thereof. Moreover, asreach strip after the upper strip 3 is swung to closed position, it will exert a downward andoutward pressure upon the preceding closedstrips, assuring positive engagement between said strips and the poster. Theinner face of each of the strips, that is, the faces of the strips positioned next to the poster, is reduced in thickness from a point adjacent its inner edge to its outer edge by'beveling as indicated by the numeral 8 or by rabbeting, to providea limited area of contact with the poster, and the inner or hinged edges of the said strips may .berabbete'd or the frame members may be and preferably are grooved, as-at 9, from their inner faces to points adjacent their outer faces to afiord spaces betweenthe outer edges of the strips .and the members comprising the frame. By this construction a defined contacting zone is provided on the inner face of ments 10 whose ends project asuitable distance beyond the inner faces of the said strips and the said ends of the pins or impinging elements are designedto be received in the depressions llformed in the back 2 of the frame when the said strips are swung into the frame.

The bottom strip 6 has fixedv preferably centrally on its outer or hinged edge the body portion of a keeper 12.. Aflange provided on the keeper is slotted, as at 13," and is projected into an opening lathat is provided centrally on the inner face of the lower rail of the frame 1. In this opening there is fixed to the said lower rail of the frame 1 a latch casing 15.

The upper face of the latch is open and the ends, from the saidupper face,'are also open for a suitable distance. Asa matter of fact,

the ends are in the nature of lugsor blocksf as disclosed inFigure 4 of the drawings Between the connecting blocks for the sides of the casing 15 thereis arranged the combined lock and opener element for the lower strlp 6. This member includes a body portion thatis provided with arounded hub 16 which finds bearing in, round openings in the sides of the casing 15 and is received through a round opening in the lower rail of the frame 1. .The body. of the combined lock and rail 5 opener is flat and includes two arms of different lengthsv which extend an'gularly from the hub. The short arm is indicated by the numeral 17 and has an angle end 18 to enter the keeper 12'when the hub 16. is turned'toone Lposition. Thusthe arm and its end l8yp'rovide a hook-like catch-for locking the strip 6,.

and consequently theremaining strips, in

closed and contacting position. The longer arm 19 has its outerend rounded and, when.

the hub 16 is turned to release the locking element or latch the saidrounded end will ride under the body plate of the keeper 12 and as a result will cause the strip 6 to be swung on .ltshingies at an outward angle with respect to the frame 1. The hub 16, or at least the portion thereof that extends through the bearing opening in: the lower frame member 1 is in the nature'of a barrel, the same being prov1ded,1n the showing of the drawings, with a triangular bore 21 that is designed to receive therein the cross sectionally triangular bit 22 of a key23. The key is,of course, removable and the bit 22 as well as the key slot. 21 may be of different desired shapes. 1 a

The strips of the improved frame have their inner or;hinged edges beveled or ,cut

at inward inclinations from one of their hinges to their ends, as indicated in the drawings by the numeral. 241. This prevents the binding of the strips against the frame if said strips should swell orw warp-.- lVhile the ,:the function hereinabove' set forth.

hinged edges of the strips may be' beveled been found that the hinging of said strips to the frame so as to provide a slight clear-.

ance between these parts is suliicient to. effect lVith either form of construction, that is, with the bevels 24; or with the uniform spacing of the strips from theframe, the portion of the strip from the hinge end adjacent said hinge may readily yield under pressure. Therefore, as pressure 1s exerted upon one strip by overlapping strips thefirst strip is forced into intimate contact with the poster in the frame and the ends of said strips may yield transversely under the thrust exertedby the beveled ends of said overlapping strips, thereby avoiding excessive frictional binding of said first strip between the frame and the overlapping strips.

l/Vhile I have stated that the inner faces 7 of the strips are beveled, the said beveled portions terminate a suitable distance inward from the outer edgesof the said strips and, therefore, merge into flat surfaces which are indicated in the drawings by the numeral .25, and it'is through these flat surfaces that the impinging elements 10 are inserted.

Also, the outer walls provided by the grooves or depressions 11 are arranged angularly so that the impinging elements, when the strips are swung to closed position, can sweep over these walls without contacting therewith.

In operation the strips are swung outwardthe frame. The upper strip 3 is first swung to closed position. The impinging elements thereon will engage with the poster to hold the same properly in the frame. The side strips 4 are then swung closed. The impinging elements Won the side strips will engage with the poster andpcrforate the same and the closing of the side strips will cause the said impinging elements to draw or stretch the poster. The lower strip 6 is now swung to closed position, the impinging elements thereon engaging with the poster and stretching the same vertically. The key isnow inserted in the key opening in the barrel or hub 16 to turn the lever to bring the hooked member to engage with the keeper and the poster is effectively locked in the frame and sustained therein in a proper stretched condition without injury to the poster. The poster can be as readily removed by again inserting the key in the key opening of the element 16, turning the same to cause-the arm or finger l9-to partly sw ng the strip 6 to open position. Swinging of the strip 6 toward open position is facilitated by the notches 5 in the lower ends of the stiles 4 since the surface of contact and hence, the frictional resistance of the ends of strip 6 on the outeredges of stiles l isreduced. Simi- -7 larly, the Lemployment --of corresponding notches in the strip?) will facilitate outward swinging movementof the stiles 4. Moreover, such notches provide convenient finger holds for'more readily swinging thestripsB and. l to open position. Exceptfor. the small apertures made by, the impinging elements "10 the poster is not inany way dama'gedand the apertures therethrough do not impair the exchange ivalue ofthe poster;

be of different shapes from those disclosed by the. drawings and any of the said strips strips hingedly secured to the inner edges thereof and certain of said strips having bevelled ends for lapping engagement with cor-V respondingly bevelled edges of the other strips when the strips are swung to closed position, meansv for locking one of the strips having bevelled ends-to the frame for likewise holding the remaining strips closed the frame, said locking means having an exten-' sion adapted to contact with the said. strip to swing the same to open position when the locking means 1s released. ly on the frame 1. A poster 26 is arranged in to the inner edges thereof,all: of said strips It is, of course, to be understood that the drawings merely illustrate a satisfactoryembodiment of the invention. The strips may having'their inner edges'beveled, said side strips having bevelled-upper ends to engage with the beveled inner, edge of the top strip when the strips are closed, the bottom strip having bevelledfends to engagewith the beveled inner. edges of the side stripsvwhen in closed position, impinging elements on all of .the strips and the-frame having depressions to receive the impingingelements therein, all

of said strips having their inner faces bevelled from a point adjacent their inner edges to their outer edges, the inner edges of the frame being rabbeted and means for locking the lower strip to'the frame. V

, 3. Aframefor posters or the like, having vtcp, side and bottom strips hingedlysecured': tothe inner edges thereof, all ofsaidastrips having their inner-edges beveled, the side stripshaving bevelled upperends thereof to engage with thebeveled inneredge of the top strip when the strips are closed, the bottom strip having bevelled ends ,toz' engage with .thebeveled inner edgesofthe side strips when faces bevelled from a point adjacent their inner edges to their outer edges, the inner edges of the frame being rabbeted andmeans for locking the lower stripto the frame,-certain of thestrips having their outer edges bevelled from the hinges to the ends thereof.

4. A frame for posters or the 1-ike,-having t0p,'side and bottom strips hingedly secured to the inner edges thereof, all of said strips having their inner edges beveled, the side strips having bevelled-upper ends to engage with the beveled inner edge of the top strip when the strips are closed, the bottom strip having bevelled ends to engage with the beveled inner edges of the side strips when in closed position, impinging elements on all of the strips and the frame having depressions to receive the impinging elements therein, all of said strips having their inner faces bevelled from a point adjacent their inner edges to their outer edges, the inner edges of the frame being notched, certain of 'the'strips having their outer edges bevelled from the hinges tothe ends thereof, a keeper carried by the lower strip, a hooked element in the lower portion of the frame to engage'wlth the'keeper, a hub on said element, a frame in which the hub' is journaled and saidhub having its outer portion" likewise journaled through an opening in the frame, an arm extending angularly from the hook and ofa greater length than the hub and a key member to engage with the hub for turning the same to bring the hook into or out of the keeper and when the hook is brought to its last named position to bring the arm into con-' tact with the lower strip to swing the same to partly open position. Y

'5, A display frame for posters and thelike having rectangularly arranged stiles and rails, a backing member extending between said stiles and rails and secured to the undersides thereof, strips extendin'gparallel and hinged respectively to said stiles and rails so as to bear in closed position upon said backing member and means carried by said strips effective in the closing movement thereof to engage and-exert a pull upon a poster positioned within said frame for the purpose set forthp r 1 6. A frame for posters or the like having top, side and bottom strips'hingedly secured i-O the inner edges thereof, all of said strips having their inner edges beveled, said'side strips having'beveled upper ends to engage the beveled inner edgeof thetopstrip-when in closed position, impinging elements on all of the strips and the frame havingdepressions to-receivethe impinging elements therein, all of saidstrips having theirinner faces beveled: from a -point':ad]'acent their inner v substantially arger than the diameter of said' elements, whereby said elements are adapted to eXert a drawing action upon said poster in the closing movement 'of said strips.

8. A frame for posters or the like, having stiles andrails',:top,sideand bottom" strips hinged within said frameto'the inner edges of said stiles and rails, said'side strips in the poster retaining positionof the strips being arranged with their upper ends exerting adownward and outward pressure upon the top strip and said bottom strip being arranged to exert a downward and'outwardpressure on the lower ends of the side strips, portions of the outer edges of said top and side strips being spaced from said frame for the purpose set forth. 7 g I 9. A frame for posters or the like having hinged top, side and bottom strips, said side strips overlapping said top strip and the bottom strip overlapping said side strips, said top and side strips being provided with finger grips, said finger rips being concealed in the operative position of said strips by the overlapping portions of said side and bottom strips. r i V 10. A frame for posters or-the like having hinged top, side and bottom strips, certain of said strips overlapping another of said strips and being overlapped by said remaining strip in the cosed position of said strips, and means for locking said last mentioned strip whereby to lock the other strips, said locking means comprising a locking member and an angu larly positioned finger of greater length than said locking member and being movable in one direction to lock said strips and movable inthe opposite direction to release said looking strip and to move the latter toward open position.

In testimony'where'of I afliX my signature V WENZEL J.-SIMANEK, 

